Growing Up
by Twitz
Summary: Mikan and Natsume talk about growing up... A bit of NatsumeXMikan and HotaruXRuka. Oneshot! Might be a lil bit OOC.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Alice Academy/Gakuen Alice! **

**Growing up, what does it really mean? Just felt a little dramatic after hearing some songs and thinking about growing up and all, so I figured writing something about it. ^^**

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"Ruka? What do you want to be when we grow up and leave this academy?"

The typical, curious but jolly Mikan asked her friend while playing when she got hold of his bunny that was on top of his head.

"Hmm? Well… Since I have an animal pheremone alice, maybe I'll be a vet, and open up a clinic at my hometown, how about you Mikan?"

"Oh, that's so nice! Me? Hmm… I can say that my alice can only be useful when I want to protect someone, how about opening a 'Protect-Me' shop?"

The two of them laughed at Mikan's idea, which was pretty silly and innocent like her.

"You really are so silly Mikan, even if you have an alice that can only be used when you want to protect someone, you can still do something else that you like,"

"Really? Hmm… What I like is to open up a business with my dear Hotaru! Yeah that's it!"

Upon hearing this, the usual punching gun from Hotaru appeared right in front of them, and threw almost a thousand punches to Mikan.

"Idiot… I'd never want to have a business with you, you'll just scare my customers away," the typical, heartless Hotaru replied to Mikan,

"Oh Hotaru! You're such a meanie! If it weren't for Natsume who spilled the beans that you and Ruka were already a couple, I might have announced it to the whole academy myself!" she said as she poked Ruka again and again who was already blushing and begging her to stop teasing them,

"Does that mean you want another thousand punches???" now Hotaru's really pissed.

Mikan ran for her life, thinking that Hotaru was still following her, she wasn't, because she already went away with Ruka, who held her hand sweetly.

"I just don't know why those two are bummers! Oh well, I'm all alone again! Might as well go to the cafeteria and find something to eat, I'm starving…"

She was humming while on her way to the cafeteria when she bumped into someone, whom she couldn't recognize because he was holding a book in front of his face.

"Aw! That hurts… Hey buster! Next time, can you please not read while walking?!" she was about to grab his collar when she noticed the earring on his ear that was glittering because of the sun.

"What were you saying, polka dots?" his face was serious like always, but his voice was taunting her.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT! You're such a pervert you know that?!"

"Call me whatever, but I do have the privilege of calling you polka dots since I've seen you polka dotted underwear!"

Her cheeks turned pink and grabbed the book he was holding.

"Whatever! Oh… Since when did you like reading romantic stuff huh Natsume?"

He blushed as well as he burned the book down with his alice. Typical of him when Mikan catches him reading or doing something that was so unlike him.

"Shut up, it's none of your business polka dots," he said as he went away, but Mikan still followed him because he turned the other way and headed for the cafeteria as well.

"Nice! We're both heading for the cafeteria! So why don't we just sit down and talk, since Hotaru and Ruka are probably having a date right now, well, she IS richer than him, Ruka's so lucky to have her, grr..."

Natsume let out a little laugh which made Mikan turn and just smile as well.

"I'm really, really sad we're all growing up so fast!" she suddenly said,

"What do you mean polka dots?"

"Natsume, just stop calling me polka dots already, I have a name you know,"

"Okay then strawberry-undie-wearer,"

She blushed again and almost punched him, but ignored his teasing and continued talking.

"Well, what I mean is, before, when I first arrived here, I thought everyone else was like me, although we have alices, I thought everyone were just kids, but they weren't, acting like adults, but, as time progressed, I learned that I was right, everyone still were young and innocent, but they were only trying to hide it from everybody... And now, we're already in high school, many of us are going out with someone already, and I got even more sadder when you told me Ruka and Hotaru were going out too, which I thought was completely impossible!"

Deep inside of him, he agreed to everything Mikan had said. Everybody before, when they were still in elementary, acted like big shots, trying to look brave and cool in front of everyone, but inside, they were still fragile and innocent. Just like he was, now, he can't deny the fact that he is now softer than before. Mikan could hit the weak spots in him, and only she could.

"That's because we're going to be adults soon idiot," he said as he sipped from cup of chocolate he was drinking.

"Yeah, I guess you're right... It's really sad..."

"It only feels sad right now because things are still in the process of changing, but when they are finished changing, you'll see that it's a lot better than it was before."

Was it really Natsume that she was talking to? Because he sounded so, serious. For the first time, Mikan had heard him so sincere, not like his usual sarcastic replies, she could sense he was really serious because of the look he got on his eyes, it wasn't angry or anything, but it was soft and somewhat happy and contented.

"Yeah... I'd probably have to agree with you there... Hmmmpp... I'm really tired," Mikan said as she stretched out her arms, accidentally hitting the cup of chocolate Natsume was drinking, and spilled it all over his shirt.

"Hey!" he said as he accidentally burned down the cup.

"You know, it's really dangerous burning up something when you get surprised!" Mikan said as she handed him a shirt.

"Good thing I have an extra shirt here,"

"Do you expect me to wear a girly shirt polka dots?"

"Oh come on Natsume! You should be thanking me not complaining! And please don't burn this one too okay? I'm gonna run out of tshirts because of you! I mean what if a girl would suddenly kiss you because she was too shy to confess and say she likes you? You might kill someone for God's sake!"

He was going to burn it too when the writing on the shirt caught his attention. It wasn't something catchy or well-written, just a typical drabble, and it said:

**IT'S NEVER TOO BAD TO CHANGE**

"Natsume?"

"What?"

"Spacing out?"

"Huh? No... hey polka dots, turn the other way around or you'll see the real man in me,"

Mikan knew what he meant. He was going to change his shirt, and she might freak out again like the last time she saw his chest because he had a big burn on it, he got it from fighting with another dangerous ability-type student a few months earlier, so she just obeyed.

"Hey, Natsume... Can I ask you something?"

"Mmm..."

"What do you wanna be when you grow up?"

"Darn it, everybody always ask me that question, but I'll give in for this time polka dots... Well, I'll probably go for some soul-searching,"

"Soul-searching? What's that?"

"Finding yourself idiot,"

"Finding who? But you're here! Right in front of me!"

"We're already in high school but you're still such a big idiot... It's like looking for the real you, you can do it by spending some time alone with yourself in a different place and answer the questions using the experiences you had while soul-searching..."

After a few minutes of thinking, Mikan finally understood.

"Oh yeah! I remember now, Ruka told me that before, he said he's gonna do that in the future too,"

"Listen polka dots, because I'm gonna be saying this only once... The saddest part of growing up is forgetting and leaving the things you used to love, but as time passes, they'll be eventually replaced with new ones, although you may never notice it, they're just the same with your old ones, only better..."

Was it just her, or was Natsume sounding so dramatic already? But, again she agreed to what he said. Everybody wants to grow up, but, when they have grown up already, they'll realize and probably want to go back to being young again, because it's sad to know that there'll be no more playing or teasing once you're an adult, because it'll all look too weird, but for Mikan, Natsume, Ruka and Hotaru, there's still a life that's a whole lot better ahead, just waiting for them when they finally become adults.

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**Fin! How do you like it? I just felt like writing something about growing up, so I decided to put this one up here in Alice Academy... :) R&R pls!**


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